Christmas in DFW with Kids: Trains, Lights, Free Santa, and ICE!

Christmas is where DFW shows off. This is the family playbook we run every December, from the splurges worth booking early to the completely free nights that end up being everyone's favorite memory.

Book these early (they sell out)

Santa's North Pole Express on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad is THE magic ride: cookies and frosty chocolate snow milk, carols, a keepsake gift, and Santa himself. It departs from the Cotton Belt Railroad District in downtown Grapevine, the Christmas Capital of Texas. Rides run from late November through December 30, and tickets for the 2026 season go on sale Thursday, October 1 at 10 am. They sell out weeks ahead, so set a reminder. Pajamas highly encouraged.

ICE! featuring Harry Potter comes to Gaylord Texan's Lone Star Christmas for the first time ever, November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027: two million pounds of hand-carved ice, Hogwarts scenes, and two-story ice slides. This will be the hot ticket of the season; tickets are already on sale at the Gaylord's Christmas site.

Holiday at the Arboretum (November 11 through January 3) is the last-ever year of the beloved 12 Days of Christmas gazebos before the Arboretum retires them, so 2026 is the year to finally go.

The free Christmas nights

Santa's Village at Huffhines Park in Richardson (1500 Apollo Rd) is the best free holiday event we know: free parking, free photos with Santa, musical performances, and activity dwellings. It runs on select December evenings, with stroll-through nights on the days between; Richardson posts the dates each fall.

Bass Pro Shops offers free pictures with Santa at multiple DFW locations; register online first.

Christmas light neighborhoods, all free, all pajama-friendly:

• Deerfield in Plano (around Sundance Dr and Ohio Dr): the famous one
• 4593 Adrian Way, Plano: a whole house of Christmas cheer
• 3601 Brookshire Dr, Plano: amazing lights, go before 9 pm when they shut off
• Downtown McKinney and downtown Grapevine are both worth an evening stroll

Cut your own Christmas magic

KaJiN Christmas Tree Farm in Caddo Mills has fresh North Carolina Fraser firs, Santa on weekends, a mini hay ride, and a miniature horse named Lady. They are open until the trees sell out, so go early in the season.

Bonus indoor stops

NorthPark Center goes fully Christmas-ready with displays worth a walk, and the B&B Theatres screenPLAY auditorium in Wylie makes a holiday movie day actually work with littles: playground time before the show, heated recliners during.